U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana

Two Statehouse Democrats from northwest Indiana know the cleanup of the contamination site in East Chicago will not only take years but also a steady state commitment. Their legislation — and affected residents' federal court cases — aim to keep the issue in the spotlight.

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Federal authorities are still searching for a former South Bend attorney who faces several charges of mail fraud stemming from his alleged involvement in an investment scheme that exploited elderly victims.

The former treasurer of a Valparaiso police organization has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for stealing nearly $190,000. Lawrence LaFlower told a federal judge Monday that “everything revolved around gambling,” which is why he began embezzling money from Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 165 in Valparaiso.

A federal jury has convicted a northwestern Indiana scrap-metal dealer of interstate transportation of stolen goods for allegedly demolishing a historic railroad bridge and selling the metal. Prosecutors said Kenneth Morrison and a work crew cut up the unused Monon Bridge that spanned the Grand Calumet River near downtown Hammond and sold it to Illinois scrapyards for $18,000. He also allegedly sold parts to an East Chicago scrap dealer.

A federal prisoner has successfully argued for his lost credit time to be restored after the Indiana Northern District Court granted his habeas petition, finding the man was entitled to notice of the factual allegations of a new charge against him at least 24 hours before a hearing, but did not receive it.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana last week aided a group of more than 30 East Allen County high school students when it filed a lawsuit against the school corporation, claiming it had imposed “undue, unequal burdens” an LGBTQ+ organization.

Purdue University has been hit with another lawsuit over expelling students following investigations into allegations of sexual assaults, but in this instance, the students banished from the school were the accusers.

Appearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary Tuesday, Damon Leichty said he was a proud Hoosier who learned much from the federal judge he clerked for and has been nominated to replace - Northern Indiana District Court Senior Judge Robert Miller, Jr. Leichty is the last federal judicial nominee to a vacancy in an Indiana court to appear before the judiciary committee.

A federal judge has denied a northwestern Indiana scrap metal dealer’s request to dismiss charges for allegedly demolishing a historic Hammond railroad bridge and selling the metal for $18,000. Kenneth Morrison argued the grand jury didn’t get an accurate picture of whether the city of Hammond or the railroad company owned the Monon Bridge, but Judge Philip Simon said prosecutors only have to prove Morrison had no claim to the scrap metal.